Leaked Video: Romney Discusses ‘Dependent’ Voters

WASHINGTON The Obama campaign is hinting that it may have a new star for ads attacking their rival: Mitt Romney himself.

The magazine Mother Jones has released a video in which Romney tells wealthy donors that almost half of all Americans “believe they are victims” entitled to extensive government support. The GOP White House hopeful said his job “is not to worry about those people.”

Romney went on to say that the group doesn’t pay any federal income taxes and that he “could never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives.”

The Obama campaign called the comments shocking.

The Romney campaign doesn’t dispute the authenticity of the video and released a statement saying Romney wants to “help all Americans struggling in the Obama economy.”

President Barack Obama faced a similar moment in the 2008 campaign, when he told donors that many Americans who are angry about their struggles “cling to their guns or religion.” Romney’s running mate, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, made reference to that remark today. Ryan called the comment weird and asked a crowd in Iowa, “Who would say anything like that?”